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Different Gotz Doll Body Types
Götz Dolls offer a variety of different dolls with different doll body types. The goal of this article is to identify the different doll body types; provide information about each; and provide some tips for how to help identify them. The doll bodies contained within for now, are mostly Play Doll and Handcrafted Play Doll doll bodies. Please Note: each doll body is assigned a different German Name in the catalog; over time, Gotz has changed some of these names (both German and English) which is why you may see more than one listed. Click on the purple links to be redirected to an article on that topic. LAUF- UND SINGPUPPE Body Type German Name and English Translation: * Lauf- und Singpuppe: Walking and Singing Doll FUNCTION: A Walking/Singing Doll does just that: it "walks" and "sings." Both mechanisms (i.e. motors) require batteries (battery compartments are located in the back for walking and in the abdomen for singing). Both mechanisms also require activation of a "switch" to work; the walking switch is located on the side torso; the singing switch is located on the abdomen's record compartment. Dolls originally came with approximately 5-8 singing "records" which must be inserted into the abdominal record player in order for the doll to "sing." These dolls are made entirely of vinyl and are hard-bodied dolls with hollow trunks; they have jointed shoulders and neck with pivotal hips (i.e. both hips are connected to an electric motor that when turning, allows the doll to shift its weight from one leg to the other). Their torso appears to be separated into two pieces, with screws at both shoulders and hips. Walking/Singing Dolls are articulated dolls; their feet are flat so they are able to stand by themselves and they are able to maintain a sitting position as well. These dolls all have open hands. Walking/Singing Dolls come in a variety of sizes but typically fall into the larger size category of Play Dolls with sizes ranging from 22-24" in height. They are designed to resemble older toddlers and children (who are able to walk/sing which is why you will typically not see an infant "walking/singing" doll). There are several different facial molds used; some were designed by Doll Artist: Ernst Wehncke. Doll eyes are plastic sleepy-eyes. These dolls are all considered Play Dolls. Walking/Singing Dolls were very popular in the 1970s and 1980s; their popularity has since declined and production of these dolls ended in 1989. You will often see these dolls with a Gotz Modell or a Gotz Elegance dress pin. Identifying a Walking/Singing Doll: * Dolls with have all-vinyl torsos with a "record" player in the abdomen. * These dolls tend to range on the larger size, between 22-24" tall. * There are several different walking/talking facial molds used. Learning to recognize these facial molds, which are unique to walking/singing dolls, will help you to visually identify them. GELENKPUPPE Body Type There are two different types of GELENKPUPPES: German Name '''and English Translation:' * '''Gelenkpuppe: 'Articulated Doll * Gelenkpuppe Voll Beweglich: ''Articulated Full Poseable Doll'' There are two kinds of Gelenkpuppes; one type has an articulated waist (these dolls have a 2-part waist; the upper and lower torso move independently) and one type has a non-articulated waist (their torso is one solid piece). Other than this, both dolls share similar features. These dolls are made entirely of vinyl and are considered hard-bodied dolls. Both dolls have articulated shoulders, hips, and necks; they can sit and stand without help. These dolls will have feet with flat soles. They are capable of articulation due to their internal articulation mechanism: their joints are connected to each other with elastic cording; they are also known as dolls that are "strung." Also, their hands will be open vs. closed. Gelenkpuppe dolls can come in a variety of sizes, from 13" to 20". They can also vary in age range. Some Gelenkpuppes may be dressed as ballerinas or clowns (complete with facial paint). Many dolls will share similar facial molds but with different physical features. The majority will tend to have plastic sleepy-eyes, but some may have fixed, painted eyes. These dolls will either be Play Dolls or Handcrafted Dolls. Identifying a Gelenkpuppe: *Doll will have either a solid vinyl torso or a two-part vinyl torso with a vinyl head, neck, shoulders, arms, hips, and legs. *Legs will be straight (vs. "bent"); knees and elbows may be slightly bent. *Feet will be flat. *Hands will be open (vs. "fisted"); finger positioning may vary. *''Tip to Consider'': Some Gelenkpuppe dolls will be dressed as ballerinas or clowns. When attempting to identify a Gelenkpuppe, do not rely on the outfit alone, as this may not be original and will not definitively place it within this body type, as Gotz produced many non-Gelenkpuppe "ballerinas" dolls. SCHNULLERBABY Body Type German Name and English Translation: * SCHNULLERBABY LACH-u WEINWERK m. BATTERIE: Laughing/Crying Baby, Battery Operated FUNCTION: A Laughing/Crying Baby Doll will either "laugh" or "cry" when their doll pacifier is removed/inserted. These baby dolls are battery operated and require a "record" to make noise. Both compartments are located within the doll's torso and are accessible via a zipper on the doll's back. A Laughing/Crying Baby is a soft-bodied baby doll (i.e. it has a soft, padded cloth torso) with non-articulated shoulders and hips. Doll bodies also contain a metal zipper on the back of their doll torso; some doll torsos (especially in the older dolls) may contain a foam stuffing vs. a traditional fiber stuffing. These dolls have vinyl heads and 3/4 vinyl limbs: doll heads have non-articulated necks; these necks are capable of manual rotation within the doll's cloth torso but are not "jointed." Doll limbs at the elbows and knees may appear articulated, but have been molded to appear "bent" only. These dolls have cloth shoulders and hips; although their bottoms are padded, these baby dolls cannot sit/stand unaided. SCHNULLERBABY baby dolls come in several different sizes; baby dolls can also range in "age" (i.e. their physical features place them within a specific age bracket) from NEWBORN/BABY to INFANT/TODDLER. There are also several different facial molds used. Each Laughing/Crying Baby Doll has a small hole in the center of their mouth; baby dolls originally came with a Gotz pacifier than can be inserted/removed. VINYLBABY Body Type German Name and English Translation: *'VINYLBABY:' Vinyl Baby **'VINYLBABY': Previous English Translation prior to 1992:' 'PVC BABY A Vinylbaby is a baby doll that is made completely out of vinyl. It is considered a hard-bodied doll due to its "hard" torso. These baby dolls have a vinyl head, neck, limbs, and torso with slightly molded “bent” knees and “elbows.” These baby dolls are fully jointed: their shoulders, hips, and neck articulate and they can sit unaided. Like other baby dolls, they may have slightly flat feet but due to their "bent" knees, they typically cannot stand on their own. Prior to 1992, these baby dolls were made out of PVC (prior to 1992 they were defined as "PVC Babies"; the catalog German Classification definition changed to "VINYL BABY" in English in 1992). According to the Department of Health and Human Services website, "PVC contains dangerous chemical additives including phthalates, lead, cadmium, and/or organotins, which can be toxic to your child's health. These toxic additives can leach out or evaporate into the air over time, posing unnecessary dangers to children." In the 1992 catalog, these baby dolls' German Classification in English was changed to "VINYL BABY." Gotz Dolls has always been committed to providing safe, high-quality baby dolls made from the finest materials. Their VINYL baby dolls are phosphate and AZO free, and they are tested according to the strictest guidelines and conform to all European testing standards. WEICHBABY Body Type German Name and English Translation: WEICHBABY: ''Soft Baby'' A Weichbaby baby doll has a soft, padded, cloth torso with cloth shoulders; upper arms; cloth hips and thighs, and vinyl arms, legs, neck, and head. Both the neck and head are non-jointed and are only capable of manual rotation within the cloth torso. There are a few different styles of Weichbaby baby dolls. Some Weichbaby baby dolls Example 1 - right have bent elbows (arms will naturally go up or down) and one or two "fisted" hands. They also have molded, "bent" knees that do not move; therefore, these baby dolls are not able to sit nor stand on their own. They require either the help of a doll stand or prop to lean against. For the reasons, these baby dolls are considered non-articulated baby dolls. Weichbaby baby dolls can come in a variety of sizes from 10" to 22". Dolls may vary in age range; they may be young newborns/babies or older infants to toddlers. Many of these baby dolls will share the same facial mold but with different eye designs (sleepy with some fixed) and different hair types (bald or rooted hair). Weichbaby baby dolls will primarily be Play Dolls. Identifying a WEICHBABY: * All Weichbaby baby dolls will have a cloth torso with cloth shoulders and hips; their upper arms and upper thighs will also be cloth. * No Weichbaby will be able to stand on its own. * Their neck and head will be made of vinyl. * Some will have molded, unmovable, "bent" elbows and knees. * Some will have cloth elbows and knees; these dolls may be able to sit without help. * Most Weichbaby baby dolls will not be able to sit on their own; however, Weichbaby's have flat, weighted lower torsos with non-articulated hips that allow them to sit without help. * One or more hand(s) will be "fisted" (vs. both "open"); finger positions may vary. 'WEICHGELENKBABY' Body Type WEICHGELENKBABY:' 'Soft Articulated Baby '' Common Name: "AG Baby Doll" or American Girl baby doll. A Weichgelenkbaby baby doll has a 'soft, padded, cloth torso with vinyl shoulders and arms; vinyl hips and legs, and a vinyl neck and head.' Both shoulders and hips contain a ball-jointed socket that will allow that limb to extend and maintain a pose. Both the neck and the head are non-jointed and are only capable of ''manual rotation within the cloth torso. This doll is able to maintain a sitting position. For these reasons, these baby dolls are considered articulated dolls. Weichgelenkbaby dolls have molded, semi-bent knees; they also have semi-flat feet, which makes it difficult for these dolls to stand on their own without proper positioning or the help of a doll stand or prop. They also tend to have one hand "fisted" and one "open" hand. These baby dolls can come in a variety of sizes; most baby dolls will have physical features placing them within the infant/toddler age range (they may have short to long hair and wear dresses vs. sleepers). Many share a very similar facial mold but with different physical features. Most often, these baby dolls will have plastic sleepy-eyes and rooted hair (although some of the higher-quality Weichgelenkbaby dolls may be wigged). These baby dolls tend to be placed within the Play Doll category. Marianne Gotz created and designed both this doll's specific doll body and its ball-jointed internal articulation mechanism; she was awarded the patent for both of these early in 1985. Identifying a Weichgelenkbaby Doll: * All Weichgelenkbaby dolls have a cloth torso with full vinyl arms and legs that are jointed'', similar to that of an American Girl.' * Arms and legs will move independently and hold a pose. * Doll can sit upright on its own. * Legs are not straight; knees will be slightly "bent." * Feet are semi-flat; one or more toes may be upturned; doll can stand on its own. * One hand will have a "fist;" the other is typically "open;" finger positioning may vary. * These dolls share a very similar facial mold, but will have different physical features. 'WEICHKORPERPUPPE' Body Type '''WEICHKORPERPUPPE': Soft Body Doll A Weichkorperpuppe has a soft, padded, cloth torso from the mid-chest down to the upper thigh; Gotz classifies this as a "soft-bodied doll." As the hips are made of cloth and do not contain an articulation mechanism, these dolls cannot sit/stand unaided; however, these dolls are '''''not non-articulated dolls. Weichkorperpuppes have a vinyl head; neck; entire arm (including shoulder); upper torso, and 3/4 lower leg; both their neck and their shoulders are jointed and capable of moving/posing independently of the body, which classifies these dolls are partially-articulated dolls (half their body articulates; half does not). WEICHSTEHPUPPE Body Type WEICHSTEHPUPPE: ''Soft Doll'' A Weichstehpuppe doll has a soft, padded, cloth torso with cloth shoulders; upper arms; cloth hips and thighs, and vinyl arms, legs, neck, and head. These dolls are considered "soft-bodied". Both the neck and head are non-jointed and are only capable of manual rotation within their cloth torso. These dolls tend to have flat to semi-flat feet; however, they are not able to sit or stand on their own unless they are properly positioned, have the help of a doll stand, or a prop to lean against. As such, these dolls are considered non-articulated dolls. Weichstehpuppe dolls come in a variety of sizes from 16" to 24" and include a variety of "ages." Many dolls will share the same facial mold but will have different physical features. Dolls may either have rooted or wigged hair and most have plastic sleepy-eyes. Dolls in this category may either be Play Dolls or Handcrafted Dolls. Identifying a Weichstehpuppe Doll: * All Weichstehpuppe dolls will have a cloth torso with cloth shoulders and hips; their upper arms and upper thighs will also be cloth. * Their neck and head will also be made of vinyl. * Their hands will be open (vs. "fisted"); finger positions may vary. * Dolls will have straight legs, possibly with slightly bent knees or "toddler" knees (knee caps are visible). * Foot may be flat or semi-flat. * Dolls can range in age from youth to adult. WEICHGELENKPUPPE[[Learn More About WEICHGELENKPUPPE and WEICHGELENKSTEHPUPPE Dolls|; WEICHGELENKSTEHPUPPE]]' '''Body Type * '''WEICHGELENKPUPPE': Articulated Soft Body Doll * WEICHGELENKPUPPE: Soft Articulated Doll * WEICHGELENKSTEHPUPPE: Articulated Soft Standing Doll These dolls have soft, padded cloth torsos with articulated, ball-jointed socketed vinyl shoulders/arms, hips/legs, and necks/heads. Marianne Gotz most likely designed these dolls cloth torsos and articulation mechanisms. These dolls are considered "soft-bodied" dolls. Both the neck and head are non-jointed and are only capable of manual rotation within their cloth torso. These dolls tend to have flat to semi-flat feet; they have the ability to sit/stand on their own, although if one of their articulated location "joints" become "loose," they may require the aid of a doll stand or prop to sit/stand. Regardless, these dolls are considered articulated dolls. Perhaps you recognize this doll body type as being similar to an American Girl's doll body. You're not wrong: Gotz manufactured American Girl dolls until Mattel took over complete production with the purchase of Pleasant Company in 1998. These dolls come in a variety of sizes, but are most likely to be seen in the 16-19" size brackets and span multiple "ages." Many dolls will share the same facial mold but have different physical characteristics. Dolls will typically have ROOTED HAIR (made of Kanekalon fiber) unless their German Doll Name appears along with: mit Kanekalon Perucke, which means they will have a higher-quality Kanekalon Fiber WIG. These dolls all have plastic sleepy-eyes and can be either Play Dolls or Handcrafted Dolls. Identifying a Weichgelenk/steh/puppe Doll: * These dolls will all have soft, padded cloth torsos which can be either white (for older dolls), tan, or even pink; they will all have vinyl shoulders/arms, hips/legs, necks/heads. * These dolls will all have straight legs with knee caps that are just slightly bent. * These dolls will all have flat feet; they may range in age and are typically between 16"-19" tall. * These dolls will all have the exact same hand/finger position. This theory has been tested and interestingly, it has never been proven wrong(!), which makes identifying dolls with this body type one of the easiest to identify. These dolls all have what is referred to in the American Girl doll community as the older-style "AG purse hand" (see photo). Please Note: this article is a work in progress and new doll body types will be added over time! Category:Doll Category:Doll Index Category:General Information Category:Requires Fill-In Category:Photo Needed Category:Article Category:Article Stub Category:German Doll Name Category:Gotz Doll Characteristics Category:Body Type Category:Articulation Type Category:Learn How to Identify a Gotz Doll